Automation of Pipe Welding Using Machine Vision and Adaptive Control

Abstract

If we think of the construction of an oil refinery, a chemical processing plant, a thermal power plant or even of a nuclear reactor, it is easy to see that pipe fitting is one of the most common operations in arc welding. In Canada alone, more than 50,000 tons of piping is assembled each year. Close to 70% of the joints are welded in pipe prefabrication shops with the assembly rotating on a positioner (1G position). Astonishingly, although this very repetitive process seems an ideal candidate for automation, most of it is still done manually using SMAW.